Hey everybody. I've been looking at auto loaders for quite a while now and still don't know what to get. What are your suggestions? I would like it to be under $1000, reliable, and I'd like to buy a new one. The only guns that have really caught my eye is the 1100/1187 shotguns. I like the 1187 because of its capability to use 3" shells but I always find mixed reviews on it. I like the 1100 cause I've used one before, it fits me nice, and they fit my criteria. However, the 1100 will not shoot 3" shells so if I bought one I would probably get one of the steel shot barrels for it. I will use this gun for waterfowl and trap mostly. Thanks and please reply with as much info as possible.

The 11-87 is 99.9% 1100. Fit is identical. If I needed 2-3/4" and 3" capability in one gun I would go for an 11-87. Actually, I would look for a used 1100 G3 or an older 11-87 Premier for the bluing and wood, but if that doesn't matter to you an 11-87 Sportsman should fill the bill.
I have used the Steel Shot barrel for many years now and love it. Used to have it on a 2-3/4" gun, now it's on a Magnum receiver.

Well, I like 1100s, but I have 5, and ten barrels, so I don't need an 11-87. If I was starting out with one gun and wanted to shoot 2-3/4" and 3", I would go for an 11-87.
Yes, I shot 3" with the standard receiver.
I don't like the full priced Benellis, so I probably wouldn't like a cheaper version. They do work. They can be fussy with light loads. Without a two piece stock or the like, they can knock your fillings out of your teeth with stout loads. Now all the Benelli fans can come in and give us a lesson that it's all in the fit of the gun. All inertia gun lovers have that down pat.

Have you consider the Weatherby SA-08? It is a gas operated gun so recoil will be less. I have a PA-08 that works very well, the first box of shells was a little rough as I had some issues with ejection but that fixed itself.

I haven't read anything negative on the SA-08. I plan on getting one as my next and first semi shotgun. Only had pumps so far.

Thanks for your replies. I will look at the SA 08. So it is a nice barrel Virginian? It didn't seem like the 3" shells were beating up the gun? Also, is there a restriction on what 3" shells you may use? I know you can't use 3" lead at all but is there only certain steel loads you can use?

I will 2nd the Weatherby SA-08. I just bought one and really like it. So far I have only shot buckshot through it. I thought it was going to be painful patterning buckshot because it is so light, but I was pleasantly surprised with the recoil. Very easy too clean also. Comes with 2 pistons, heavy load & light load and comes with 3 choke tubes. I paid $450 for mine about 2 weeks ago. I am thinking about getting 1 in 20 ga. for rabbit hunting I like it so much.

Virginian, if you are wondering why I'm leaning more towards the 1100 over the 1187 even though the 1187 would fit my needs a little better is because I hear lots of bad things about 1187s. I'm afraid of getting one. This is why I research a gun so much before I buy one cause I would hate to get stuck with a POS gun

The biggest enemy of any semi auto is the nut on the back of the stock. I haven't seen much difference in the reliability of properly maintained 1100s versus 11-87s in almost 25 years. Proper maintenance isn't hard or time consuming, but it is needed. A new 11-87 will be more prone to having issues with light loads than a standard 1100, but even that isn't hard to address if you know what you're doing.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Wal Mart Beretta. I thought that was the almost universal answer for someone looking for a semi and not wanting to spend a mortgage payment. I prefer the Remingtons to the Berettas, but there is not a thing wrong with them. I don't do plastic or flat black of any ilk.

In your price range the 11-87 is probably the best buy. Maybe the Winchester, I've heard good things, just no personal experience. I've owned several 1100's and 1187's in the past with no problems, but they are no longer my 1st choice. Not because they are bad guns, but I've found other designs I prefer. The Remingtons are based on a nearly 50 year old design, and there are more modern guns with features I prefer.

The Walmart Beretta is good choice for the money. You might find a lightly used Beretta 390 or 391 in your price range. My prefernce is the Benelli M-1/M-2. When Benelli upgraded to the M-2 over the M-1 a few years ago I ran across a guy who wanted the newer M-2 and sold me a 6 month old M-1 for about 1/2 what the newer guns were selling for. Well under your $1,000 budget. Within a year I sold two 11-87's and a Beretta 390. All 3 were good guns, but after about a year with the Benelli I knew they would never be used again and only collect dust.

Thank you all for your replies. Since I duck hunt only a few times a year I think I'll get an 1100 and steel shot barrel for 3". Me and a buddy plan on joining a skeet league and we just talked about it today so I think the 1100 will do the job. I'm sure ill get a benelli for the next semi auto

I know some people don't like them but the ones I've handled and shot have been very nice. I had never seen a shotgun pattern buckshot so uniformly before. I've shot some 3-1/2" Blind Side (pretty hard kicking load) out of one and was amazed at how little recoil I felt compared to the same load out of my 535. 3-1/2" 00 buckshot is really tame out of one, and that's saying something.

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---Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.---

Virginian may not like them .....but I have a couple of the Benelli Super Sport models...one in 12ga and one in 20ga ...and I like them a lot. I don't use them as a primary gun vs my O/U's ...but there's nothing not to like about them in my opinion - and I use it as an inclement weather gun / or a travel gun - when I can only take 1 gun.

3 or 4 of my buddies have all gone to the Super Sport as their go to gun for Sporting Clays - over the last 5 yrs or so ...with about 15,000 shells a yr thru them - with no complaints.

Slugo is having good luck with his gun as well ....but I like the Inertia guns, especially the Benelli's with comfort tech supression in them --- they shoot very cleanly, cycle quickly, easy to maintain...

All of the guns you're looking at ....are showing up around my gun club ...where guys shoot Skeet and Sporting Clays - although O/U's still dominate the clay fields....

Maybe just hang around out there...and when you see someone that has a semi-auto talk to them about their gun --- how long they've had it, any issues, would they buy it again ....and if you show some interest, if you have some factory shells ....they'll probably let you put a few shells thru their gun.

Everybody has opinions about their guns ....especially if they've had any issues with them.

One issue on any wood stocked Benelli ( it can't have the comfort tech recoil supression system in it ) ....so it will give you probably 25% more recoil than most any gas operated gun.

A semi-auto that hasn't been on your list ...but I think is worth looking at is a gun like the Browning Silver Hunter model in a 28" barrel. In my area they're selling new for around $ 900 - $1,000 I think...and I think that's a good buy.

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